Supporting means for insulating materials



Dec. 5, 1933. w. c. RANDALL 1,937,843

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR INSULATING MATERIALS Filed Feb; 24, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ilgi INVENTOR ATToRNEYg 5, 1933. w c RANDALL 1,937,843

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR INSULATING MATERIALS Filed Feb. 24, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR imam? daft? 762M222 BY I l ATTORNEYS PatentedDec. 5, 1933 UNITED srArss PATENT; OFFICE SUPPORTING MEANS FORINSULATING MATERIALS Application February 24, 1931. Serial No. 517,930 2Claims. (01. 189-85) This invention relates generally to means forsupporting insulating materials in building 0011- structions and refersmore particularly to the provision of means of the above typein the form5 'of metallic foundation sheets especially designed to supportinsulating materials having aocoustical and/or heat insulatingproperties.

One of the prinipal objects of this invention is to support theinsulating materials from the sheets in spaced relation to the major orbody portions of the latter so as to provide an air chamber therebetweenwhich serves to enhance the acoustical and/or heat insulating propertiesof the construction and also to maintain these properties over a longperiod of use.

Another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provisionof metallic foundation sheets having laterally extending flangesprovided with shoulders cooperating with suitable fastener means forattaching the sheets to a support and further operable to support theinsulating materials from the sheets in the manner specified above.

With the foregoing as well as other objects in view, the inventionresides in the peculiar construction of the nietallic foundation plateswhich will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through several foundationsheets showing one method which may be employed for supporting the heatinsulating materials upon the sheets and also a method for attaching thesheets to a support;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation taken substantially on the line2-2 of Figure 1;

- Figures 3, .4, 5, 6, '7 and B are views similar to Figure 1 showingmodified forms of metallic foundation sheets;

Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are fragmentary perspective views of themetallic foundation sheets shown respectively in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and8.

While the underlying inventive principles involved herein may beaccomplished by numerous different constructions and while severalmodifications of the invention are illustrated herein, it will beapparent as this description proceeds that in each modification theinsulating materialis supported from the metallic foundation sheets in50 spaced relation to the .maioror body portions of i the sheets so asto create an air chamber between adjacent surfaces of the sheets andinsulating material. It has been found that by reason of the air chamberas specified, the acoustical and/or heat insulating properties of theunit are enhanced and also that the aforesaid properties of theinsulating material itself are maintained over a long period of time.These features may be attributed to the fact that the air chamberprovides for a circulation of air between the adjacent surfaces of theinsulating material and sheets, thereby preventing the accumulation ofdust upon the inner surface of the insulating material and as aconsequence maintain the pores of the material open at all times.Moreover, by reason of the novel manner in which the insulating materialis supported from the sheets, a saving in the amount of insulatingmaterial is realized. In other words, with the present invention arelatively great areaof space may be invsulated with a comparativelysmall amount of material. A further advantage derived by virtue of theair chamber hereinbefore described is realized in a construction'whereinthe body portions of the metallic foundation sheets are apertured sincewith such an arrangement there is less likelihood of paint or the likepenetrating the insulating material and closing the pores therein duringthe process of decorating the outer surfaces of the foundation sheets.

Referring now more in detail to the several constructions illustratedherein and with special reference to Figures 1 and 2, it will be notedthat I have shown a plurality of metallic foundation sheets 15preferably developed from sheet metal and having substantially straightbody portions 16 suspended from suitable purlins 17 in spaced relationthereto by fastener elements 18. The sheets 15 are suspended from thepurlins 17 in juxtaposition to each other and in such a manner that theouter surfaces of adjacent sheets are substantially continuous and flushwith each other. As shown, the sheets 15 preferably extendlongitudinally of the purlins 1'! and the joints between thelongitudinal edges of adjacent sheets are preferably located directlybeneath the purlins for reasons to be presently described.

The longitudinal side edges of the sheets 15 are bent laterally to formflanges 19 adapted in the assembled position of the sheets to projecttoward the purlins 17. The flanges 19 are bent intermediate the endsthereof to provide inwardly triangularly shaped grooves 20 formingshoulders 21 preferablg spaced a uniform distance from the body portions16 of the sheets. The above arrangement is such that when a pair ofsheets are arranged in juxtaposition as shown in Figure 1, the grooves20 register with each other and the shoulders 21 assume a positionsubstantially lnalignment. The fastener elements 110 18 are alsopreferably formed of sheet metal having the upper ends thereof anchoredto the purlins 17 in longitudinal spaced relation and having the lowerends bent to form triangularly shaped portions adapted to extend withinthe registering grooves 20 to engage the lower surfaces of the alignedshoulders 21 as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Thus, it willbe ob served that the foundation sheets are suspended from the purlins17 in such a manner that the bottom surfaces thereof lie substantiallyflush forming, in effect, a continuous surface.

Referring now more in detail to the insulating material, it will benoted that this material is in the form of sheets 23 elongated in thedirection of the length of the purlins and foundation sheets and havingthe opposite marginal longitudinal edge portions 24 overlapping theupper surfaces of the shoulders 21 and seated thereon. Since it has beenpreviously pointed out that the shoulders 21 are spaced above the bodyportions 16 of the foundation sheets, it will be apparent that theinsulating material 23 is supported in spaced relation above the bodyportions 16 providing an air chamber 25 between adjacent surfaces 26 and27, respectively, of the insulating and foundation sheets which isdesirable for reasons hereinbefore stated. Owing to the particularconfiguration of the flanges 19 on the sheets, it will be apparent fromFigure 1 that the distance between the shoulders 21 of each sheet isless than the width of the body portion 16, thereby permitting the useof insulating sheets having a width substantially less than the bodyportions 16 of the foundation sheets. With the above construction, itwill readily be seen that a relatively great area of space may beinsulated with a comparatively small amount of insulating material,thereby effecting a saving of insulating material and accordinglyreducing the cost of installation. As will be observed from Figure 1lateral shifting of the insulating sheets 23 relative to the foundationsheets 15 is restricted by the portions of the flanges 19 above theshoulders 21 and the joints between adjacent insulating sheets aresubstantially sealed by the purlins 17.

The construction shown in Figure 3 is identical to the constructionhereinbefore described with the exception that the body portions 28 ofthe foundation sheets are provided with a plurality of apertures 29establishing communication between the interior of the structure and theair space 30. With this latter construction, the provision of an airchamber between'the adjacent surfaces of the insulating material 31 andbody portions 28 of the sheets is of particular importance since theouter surfaces of the foundation sheets may be painted or otherwisecoated without the danger of the fluid penetrating the downwardly towardeach other and are provided with laterally outwardly extending portionsforming shoulders 36 having the outer ends the sheets. The shoulders 36and 40 are spaced above the body portions 39 of the sheets in the samemanner as the shoulders 21 hereinbefore described and serve to supportthe insulating sheets 41. In this connection it is to be noted that apair of insulating sheets 41 is provided for each foundation sheet andthe marginal longitudinal edge portions of each sheet are supportedrespectively by the shoulders 36 on the hollow reinforcing ribs and theshoulders 40 on the side flanges 34. In other words, a sheet ofinsulating material is arranged upon opposite sides of each reinforcingrib 33 and since the shoulders 36 and'40 bear the same relationship tothe body portions 39 of the sheets as the flanges 21 in thefirst-described form of the invention, it will be apparent that an airchamber 42 is also provided in the present instance between the adjacentsur faces of the insulating material and foundation sheet. It willfurther be apparent that the construction shown in Figure 4 offers thesame possibilities of saving insulatingmaterial as the constructionshown in Figure 1.

The foundation .sheets 45 shown in Figure 5 are bent intermediate theends thereof to form a substantially T-shaped hollow reinforcing rib 46with the head of the T arranged uppermost and the legs 4'7 thereofmerging into the body portions 48 of the sheets. The oppositelongitudinal edges of the sheets are bent laterally in the direction ofthe reinforcing rib to provide flanges 49 fashioned intermediate theends thereof to form inwardly extending substantially channelshapedgrooves 50 adapted to register with each other in the assembled relationof the sheets to receive the fastening means 51. The fastening means 51serves to suspend the sheets from the purlins 52 in the same manner asthe fastening means 18, hereinbefore described, and is provided at thelower ends thereof with laterally and oppositely extending lugs 53adapted to extend within adjacent grooves 50 and engage the lowersurfaces of the shoulders 54 formed by bending the flanges 49 as stated.The shoulders 54 are spaced above the body portions 46 of the sheets andthe outer surfaces thereof function to support the outer longitudinalmarginal edge portions of the insulating sheets 55. There are twoinsulating sheets 55 for each foundation sheet 45, one upon each side ofthe reinforcing ribs 46 and the inner longitudinal marginal edges of theinsulating sheets 55 are supported from the ribs 46 by means of a clip56. In detail, the clip 56 is provided with an inverted channel-shapedportion 57 adapted to receive the head of the T-shaped rib. The clip isfurther provided with shoulders 58 projecting laterally outwardly fromthe legs of the channel-shaped portion 57 and terminating in downwardlyand inwardly inclined flexible portions 59. The shoulders 58, specifiedabove, and the shoulders 54 on the flanges are arranged in a commonplane substantially parallel to the body portions 48 of the sheets andspaced above the same for supporting the adjacent marginal edge portionsof the insulating sheets 55 in spaced relation to the body portions ofthe foundation sheets.

The insulating sheets 60 illustrated in Figure 6 are supported from thefoundation sheets 61 in the same manner as the sheets 55 described inconnection with the above modification. The .essential differencebetween the construction of the foundation sheets 61 and the sheets 45just described is the particular configuration of the reinforcing ribs62 and spring clips 63. As shown in Figure 6, the hollow reinforcingribs 62 are substantially channel-shaped in cross section with the legsof the channel located in close proximity to each other and merging intothe body portions 64 of the sheets. The clips 63 conform substantiallyto the shape of the ribs 62 and are provided with transverselyoppositely extendingshoulders cooperating with the shoulders on the sideflanges 65 to support the insulating sheets "60 in spaced relation tothe body portions 64 of the sheets 61.

The foundation sheet 66 illustrated in Figure 0 7 is similar inconstruction to the foundation sheets 32 illustrated in Figure 4, butdiffers from the latter in that the hollow reinforcing rib 67 is notformed with shoulders for supporting the adjacent marginal edge portionsof the insulating sheets 68. Instead of forming shoulders integralwiththe hollow reinforcing rib 67, a spring clip 69 is provided adaptedto be sprung overthe upper portions of the reinforcing rib 6'7 and pro-'vided with shoulders '70 adjacent the lower ends thereof. The shoulders70 project laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the reinforcingrib and terminate in downwardly and inwardly extending flanges '71 whichserve to support the shoulders 70. As will be readily apparent fromFigure 7, the shoulders 70 cooperate with the shoulders 72 on the sideflanges '73 for supporting the insulating sheets 68 within thefoundation sheets in spaced relation to the body portions thereof.

The modified form of construction illustrated in Figure 8 differs fromeither of the above described constructions in that the side flanges '15of the foundation sheets '76 are bent intermediate theends thereof toform substantially semi-cir:

4 5 cular recesses 76' cooperating with each other in the assembledrelation of the sheets to receive the circular head portions '77 of thefastener elements 78. The fastener elements '78 are secured to thepurlins '79 in the same manner as the fastener elements hereinbeforedescribed. The foundation sheets '76 are bent intermediate the endsthereof to form circular reinforcing ribs 80 and suitable insulatingsheets 81 are arranged ,within thefoundation sheets upon opposite sidesof the reinforcing rib 80. The lower longitudinal tially parallel to theplane of the body portion the body portion.

edge portions of the insulating sheets 81 adjacentthe flanges '75 arearcuate in shape and are adapted to seat upon the arcuate shoulders 82formed by bending portions of the flanges inwardly as stated above. Theadjacent marginal edge portions of the insulating sheets 81 are seatedupon shoulders 83 projecting laterally outwardly from opposite sides ofthe rib. While the shoulders 83 may be formed integral withthe rib,

I have illustrated the same herein as forming a part of the clip 84which is adapted to be placed over the rib as shown in Figures 8 and 13.The shoulders 82 and 83 are so arranged as to support the insulatingsheets in spaced relation to the body portions of the foundation sheetsto provide air chambers therebetween.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be apparent that while various forms offoundation sheets have been illustrated and described herein forsupporting insulating sheets within a building construction,nevertheless, in each modification the insulating material is sosupported that an air space is created between adjacent surfaces oi theinsulating material and foundation sheets. It will, further be seen thateach of the above described constructions permits utilizing insulatingmaterial of less width thanthe overall width of the body portion of thesheets thereby effecting .foundation'sheet having a body portion andhaving a reinforcing rib bent out of the plane of the body portion, anda clip attachable to the reinforcing rib and having shoulders projectinglaterally outwardly from opposite sides thereof located in spacedrelation to the body portion aforesaid and operableto support adjacentmarginal edge portions of insulating sheets.

2. Means for supporting insulating material in building constructions,comprising a metallic foundation sheet having flanges projectinglaterally from opposite side edges and having a reinforcing ribprojecting laterally from the body portion of the sheet in the directionof the flanges intermediate the latter, and shoulders upon the flangesand opposite sides of the reinforcing rib arranged in a common planesubstanof the sheet in spaced relation thereto for engaging oppositemarginal edges of insulating sheets to support the latter in spacedrelation to

